TAMPA, Fla. — A months-long investigation into the Haven Inn motel in Tampa's Seminole Heights community has ended with three arrests, and authorities said there could be more.
The Haven Inn motel, along Nebraska Avenue, had been under investigation since July after community complaints about drug deals in certain rooms that were rented out.
After a search warrant was executed Tuesday, the investigation ended with three people behind bars, two retrieved guns, one of which was stolen, and drugs including cocaine, fentanyl, and synthetic cannabis.
Brian Choate has lived in the area for close to five years. This isn't the first time he has heard about illegal activity at the motel or along Nebraska Avenue, for that matter.
"It's the real underbelly of Tampa. It's really the epicenter of Tampa's underbelly, and it needs to be cleaned up," Choate said.
Often times he said he had seen suspicious activity from the motel spill into his neighborhood. It was just a few months ago he said he saw a similar scene to what unfolded Tuesday night.
"There was a lot of militaristic-looking vehicles. Guys in flack jackets, guns drawn, maybe even some K-9's and that's when it all seemed to round the corner," Choate said.
The recent arrests and bust, Choate said, are a step to clearing the crime.
"If it's not going to get better, it is going to get worse and fortunately, now it seems there's a nominal effort to make things better," Choate said.
Authorities are no strangers to the Haven Inn. ABC Action News requested documents from Tampa Police regarding the calls for service to the motel.
Since the first of the year, a total of 301 calls for service have been made, or roughly more than one call a day to the Haven Inn. That includes calls by the public and stops police have made themselves.
Police said Tuesday night's arrests may not be the end and said more arrests and charges could be forthcoming.
